(1) Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a tool for secure positioning of a fixing element with elastic coupling in a hole.
(2) Description of Related Art
In mass industrial production so-called “rapid-assembly” assembly elements are being increasingly used. The aim is to reduce both component costs and the time required for assembly. Further, there are cases where the use of the more traditional threaded connections (bolts, screws, etc) becomes particularly difficult and unsuitable: this is for example the case with the removable joining of two or more thin sheet-metal elements or elements made of plastics.
The car industry in particular, owing to the variety of assembly problems connected with the various vehicle components, for the solution of joining thin sheet-metal parts or parts made of plastics, fixing in position cables, conductors, pipes and anything else has for some time adopted rapid-assembly systems, devising special “fasteners” for all needs.
In general, these rapid-assembly elements are used in non-critical situations (metal panels, parts made of plastics for interiors, etc), and the shape, dimensions, constructional and coupling tolerances determined experimentally permit the use thereof without particular control needs of the assembly result. It is sufficient for the operator to insert, manually or using specific and in general simple tools, these elements into the seats thereof to create a joining of parts that is reliable for the type of use.
However, there are parts, the joining of which requires secure testing of the result: this is for example the case when joining panels that constitute the containers of the airbag systems in motor vehicles.
In general, these panels are fitted with screws: the position thereof, which is at times not very accessible, requires the use of special tools and a relatively long time for screwing and therefore a particularly high processing cost.
Specialized companies in the industry have developed particular fasteners such as rapid-insertion or snap-fixing elements which are proposed for replacing these screws with excellent results, both in terms of stability of the cover panels and in terms of the drastic reduction in assembly time.
As these are connections for which safety must be assured, the automobile manufacturers who intend to adopt these snap-insertion fasteners desire to be sure that the personnel assigned to fitting fit the fastener correctly in the seat provided so that the fastener performs the function for which it has been adopted. With the simple known tools (in general consisting at most of a passive thrust element of the fastener) this assembly safety is never obtained.
The general object of the present invention is to overcome the aforesaid drawbacks by providing a tool for the safe fitting of a snap fixing element to be inserted into a hole in which it is anchored.